Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Yes, we use this poem every New Years eve, on national television and long before that, one of the most celebrated actors would read it , in Swedish I dare say, from the Skansen-park, the one I told you about in The Stockholm post. Below you find my personal favourite- Georg Rydeberg, long lost from us. What an actor he was, the voice, the face!!!
This New Years eve we have spent alone, friends couldn't come over, teenagers are sulking and the 17 year old have given me my first ( and last ) full make-up. Salmonsandwiches for starters, chicken with bacon, tomatoes and cream and roast potatoes and frozen cheesecake with gingerbreadcrums and raspberries and saffron. In church we heard the vicar preach and our local tenor sing . The weather is grey and windy, torches go down and fireworks go haywire. On national tv we've seen that BBC sketch with the countess and her butler, celebrating New Year with her 4 long gone friends. Hilarious and sad. It's been on tv since I was a child and I know every line from mr Winterbottom.
So I look back on this year and regret things done and words said. I can clearly see what could have been done better, kindlier and wiser, from my part. I also think about the beggers outside the store yesterday, a 25 year old girl called Maria, on her knees with a papercup and my old friend Christoff that asked for me, haven't seen him for many months. None of them have a regular base, not in our town anyway. That is one of the things I regret - not doing more for them.
The world is uneasy and shaking, let's pray that He who holds us in his hands will be more firm handling our chilled hearts. Let's hope for courage, less second thoughts and political crap, more light, more truth and more action where it's needed. Let's pray for common goals and wisdom on the path that leads us there. More walking, living, talking, working,laughing and crying together. More mercy and O Lord, more of grace and comfort to those who suffer.
A very happy , bright and blessed New year to you all, out there!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
SvaraRaderaLinda